Just found out my dog's leash is basically a neck hazard

Was reading a vet blog last night. They studied 500 dog walkers. 1 in 4 used a leash that was too short. That collar-on-neck pressure? Can cause thyroid damage over time. My retractable leash was on the list of bad ones. Switched to a 6 foot flat leash today. My pup already walks calmer. Anyone else check their leash length after seeing something like this?

3 comments

3 Comments

lee_reed3d ago

Whoa, slow down there. I've seen this same scare article floating around for years. My dog's been on a retractable leash for like 8 years and his thyroid is totally fine according to his yearly checkups. I think people WAY overthink this stuff. A 6 foot flat leash is fine for some dogs but my mutt would pull just as hard on it, the pressure's basically the same if they really want to go sniff something.

rubyshah3d ago

I actually saw a vet's blog post a few months ago where they mentioned that retractable leashes can cause more neck strain because dogs hit the end of the line harder than they would with a fixed leash. But your dog's yearly checkups are a solid point, a vet would catch something like thyroid issues. My friend's lab has a thyroid problem but she thinks it's from her dog's food, not the leash. I guess it's one of those things where maybe it matters for some dogs and not others, kinda like how some people are fine eating dairy and others aren't.

drew_reed623d ago

My neighbor's golden retriever actually yanked me off my feet once with a retractable leash, left me eating pavement in front of a whole street of people. That was a real thyroid check moment for my dignity. But I get what you're saying, some dogs just don't care what kind of leash you use. Guess I'm just clumsy enough to need the extra control of a flat leash so I don't end up faceplanting again.